The framework outlines that healthy food and drink, classified as ‘Everyday’ items, will make up 75 per cent or more of the total food and drink offered in retail outlets while ‘Occasional’ food and drink items make up no more than 25 per cent of the products on offer.

‘Everyday’ foods are the healthier food choices and include things like sandwiches with lean meats, salad and egg fillings, salads, pasta, yoghurt and fruit.

Unhealthy foods such as hot chips, cakes, salty snacks and lollies are classified as ‘Occasional’ food items. ‘Occasional’ foods are still available at hospital food outlets though with limited availability.

This change to stocked food and drink items follows the removal of sugary drinks from sale at Local Health District hospitals and health services in 2017.

“Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District has worked closely with hospital retail and food outlets as we’ve introduced each stage of the NSW Health Framework,” says Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District Senior Health Promotion Officer, Alejandra Martinez.

“We know that excess weight is associated with a range of chronic health conditions and, as a health care provider, we aim to support staff and visitors to make choosing healthy food and drink the easy choice,” says Ms Martinez.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst Australians has steadily increased for the past 30 years. More than half of all adults in the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District are overweight or obese, higher than the NSW average.